Claims
- 1. A pressure control apparatus for use in a bed that includes a pressurized air source and at least one air sack, the apparatus comprising:
a valve inlet configured to receive pressurized air from a pressurized air source; a valve outlet configured to permit exit of the pressurized air to the at least one air sack; a first valve in fluid communication between the valve inlet and the valve outlet and configured to regulate flow of the pressurized air between the valve inlet and the valve outlet; a controller coupled to the first valve and configured to control the first valve to regulate flow of the pressurized air through the first valve; a second valve disposed between the pressurized air source and an independently inflatable cell adjacent an air sack, the second valve when in a first state couples the pressurized air source to the inflatable cell in order to pressurize the inflatable cell and when in a second state couples the inflatable cell to atmosphere in order to vent the inflatable cell; and a vibration and percussion controller coupled to the second valve and operable to alternately actuate the second valve between the first state and the second state at a programmable frequency in order to alternately pressurize and vent the inflatable cell at the programmable frequency.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second valve comprises a three-way solenoid valve that couples the inflatable cell to the pressurized air source when in the first state and couples the inflatable cell to atmosphere when in the second state.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second valve comprises a first two-way solenoid valve coupled between the inflatable cell and the pressurized air source, and a second two-way solenoid valve coupled between the inflatable cell and atmosphere, the vibration and percussion controller being operable to generate first control signals that cause the first two-way solenoid valve to open and cause the second two-way solenoid valve to close, thereby pressurizing the inflatable cell; and the vibration and percussion controller being operable to generate second control signals that cause the first two-way solenoid valve to close and cause the second two-way solenoid valve to open, thereby venting the inflatable cell.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inflatable cell is at least partially disposed within one of the air sacks.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an operator interface coupled to the vibration and percussion controller to facilitate selection of the frequency of pressurization and venting of the inflatable cell.
- 6. A pressure control apparatus for use in a bed that includes a pressurized air source, at least one inflatable air sack, and an independently inflatable cell located adjacent the at least one inflatable air sack, the apparatus comprising:
a controller operable to couple the at least one inflatable air sack to the pressurized air source to regulate pressure within the at least one air sack; a controllable valve disposed between the pressurized air source and an inflatable cell of an air sack, the controllable valve being actuated to selectively couple the pressurized air source to the inflatable cell in order to pressurize the inflatable cell and to vent the inflatable cell to atmosphere; and a vibration and percussion controller coupled to the controllable valve and operable to actuate the controllable valve to alternately pressurize and vent the inflatable cell at a programmable frequency.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controllable valve comprises a three-way solenoid valve that couples the inflatable cell to the pressurized air source when in the first state and couples the inflatable cell to atmosphere when in the second state.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inflatable cell includes a diaphragm.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a top surface of the inflatable cell is also an upper surface of the air sack.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the diaphragm expands and contracts such that when expanded, the diaphragm contacts upper surface of the air sack.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controllable valve comprises a two-way valve.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one inflatable air sack is a low air loss bladder.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inflatable cell is at least partially disposed within one of the air sacks.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising an operator interface coupled to the vibration and percussion controller to facilitate selection of the frequency of pressurization and venting of the inflatable cell.
- 15. A pressure control apparatus for use in a bed that includes a pressurized air source, an inflatable air sack, and an independently inflatable cell located adjacent the inflatable air sack, the apparatus comprising:
a first controllable valve disposed between the pressurized air source and an inflatable air sack; a second controllable valve disposed between the pressurized air source and an inflatable cell, the second controllable valve being operable to couple the inflatable cell to the pressurized air source to pressurize the inflatable cell and to vent the inflatable cell to atmosphere; and a controller coupled to each of the first and second controllable valves and operable to regulate the pressure in the air sack and to independently alternately pressurize and vent the inflatable cell at a selected frequency.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second controllable valves are two-way solenoid valves.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein means are provided for controlling the amplitude and sequence of vibrational forces imparted to an upper surface of the inflatable cell.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the amplitude of vibrational forces is varied by controlling the pressurized air source.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the inflatable cell is at least partially disposed within one of the air sacks.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an operator interface coupled to the controller to facilitate selection of the frequency of pressurization and venting of the inflatable cell.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 09/633,599, filed Aug. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,814, which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/804,317, filed Feb. 21, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,222, which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/501,274, filed Jul. 17, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,754, which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/350,715, filed on Dec. 7, 1994, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/201,042, filed on Feb. 24, 1994, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 07/898,970, filed Jun. 15, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No. 07/555,319, filed Jul. 19, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,513, which application is a divisional application of Serial No. 07/355,755, filed on May 22, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,414, which application is a continuation-in-part Application of Ser. No. 07/321,255, filed Mar. 9, 1989, now abandoned, all the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
Divisions (1)
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07355755 |
May 1989 |
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07555319 |
Jul 1990 |
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Continuations (6)
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Continuation in Parts (2)
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